A Scotland-wide campaign to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis will be launched today by Health Secretary Shona Robison. The radio, print and social media campaign will reach more than 1.3 million people across the country, and every community pharmacy in Scotland will display posters warning of the signs of sepsis. Continue reading Sepsis awareness campaign launched today
The Health Secretary and Chief Medical Officer have joined to urge all eligible adults to take up the offer of the free flu vaccination. Latest figures from Health Protection Scotland show just over 41% of those aged under 65, who are considered ‘at risk’, have had their flu jab this winter – but cases of flu have more than doubled compared to the same time last year. Continue reading Free vaccination is best protection against flu
January will see the revamp of the ‘Eat Better Feel Better’ website, which offers practical advice with the aim of increasing fruit and veg consumption, and cutting unhealthy snacking and sugary drink consumption in children. The site has tips and tools for families to help them make simple, quick and cheap changes to how they shop, cook and eat. Continue reading Eat green in 2018: Scots urged to eat more fruit and veg
A poster highlighting free NHS stop smoking services will be in every community pharmacy in Scotland from next week. The brand ‘Quit Your Way – with our support’ was created after research by Health Scotland found smoking cessation services should have one national identity to improve uptake. Continue reading Quit smoking your way
More than 60,000 people across Scotland have been given life-saving CPR training in the last 12 months – as part of an unprecedented national collaboration of more than a dozen organisations including emergency services, defence and third sector – to improve the response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Continue reading Lifesavers: 60,000 Scots trained in CPR
A drive to tackle rubbish, fly-tipping and dumped trade waste on city streets was kicked off this week. The second phase of the Our Edinburgh initiative, which aims to address anti-social behaviour like littering, has begun in the Leith Walk area, identified as a hotspot for overflowing bin complaints. Continue reading City cleanup initiative targets Leith Walk
Final Report into 2012 Legionnaires’ Outbreak published but the source of the outbreak may never be known
NHS Lothian, on behalf of the multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT), has today published the final report into the 2012 Legionnaires’ outbreak which affected the south west of Edinburgh. The 68 page report goes into great detail – but the public heath professionals who produced the report are unable to pinpoint the source of the outbreak.
The report states: ‘As it has not been possible to identify the precise source of the Legionella bacteria that resulted in the death of four people, Crown Counsel has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute any person or organisation for the deaths.’
The Incident Management Team has concluded that the outbreak was caused by an aerosol release of Legionella pneumophila Sg1 Knoxville ST191 over a defined area of south west Edinburgh during May 2012. Although the Incident Management Team could not establish the specific source of the organism, it has concluded that: ‘the most likely source of this aerosol release was an industrial complex containing wet cooling towers in the north east of the affected area.’
Between late May and late June 2012, 56 people who had links to south west Edinburgh, were confirmed as suffering from Legionnaires’ disease. Four of these people died and the Health and Safety Executive, under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Health and Safety Division carried out a full investigation into the cause.
The final report into the outbreak highlights that the locally coordinated public health, environmental health, scientific and clinical response helped protect the health of people living and working in south west Edinburgh and had a positive impact in preventing more people becoming seriously ill.
It has been published following the conclusion of all investigations into the outbreak.
Professor Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said: ““I would once again express my sincere condolences to the families of those who died during this outbreak and the patients affected.
“The review of outbreak management and the subsequent public health research has provided valuable in enhancing the existing knowledge on Legionella outbreaks and control. This report allows us to share our experience and findings with other public health teams across the globe.”
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‘We want to know what really matters to people and their families when thinking about the future, and what support they need to lead healthier lives.’ – Health Secretary Shona Robison
The conversation on the long term future of health and social care services in Scotland began at an event held in Dundee yesterday.
Representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS, care sector, charities, patient groups and the third sector came together this morning in a café conversation-style event hosted by national third sector health and social care organisation, the ALLIANCE.
It is the first in a series of events and discussions which will be held around the country between August 2015 and April 2016.
Opening the event, Health Secretary Shona Robison called on people from across the country to get involved. She also announced the launch of the Creating a Healthier Scotland website, giving people the opportunity to follow the conversation and contribute to the debate as it progresses.
Ms Robison said: “Earlier this year I announced my intention to hold a national conversation about the future of our health and social care services. I want to seek agreement on how to make more progress in improving the health of the population, and on how our NHS and social care systems should develop by 2030 to continue supporting everyone to live well.
“We want to know what really matters to people and their families when thinking about the future, and what support they need to lead healthier lives.
“The NHS is a treasured institution and holds a special place in this country’s heart. Nearly every single person has used or had some experience of the NHS in their lifetime and so it is absolutely right that we involve as many people as we can in the discussion about where the NHS will go in the next ten to fifteen years and beyond.
“There will be many opportunities for people to get involved, and tell us what matters over the coming months.
“We have made some real progress in recent years – cutting waiting times, vastly reducing superbug infections in our hospitals and bringing together health and social care through legislation for the first time ever to deliver fully joined up services for people in Scotland.
“We have also taken steps to address immediate challenges – like investing £100 million to tackle delayed discharge, recruiting record levels of staff, investing more than £12billion in a financial year for the first time ever and setting out a new plan for emergency care.
“Our vision for 2020 – that people should live longer healthier lives at home or in homely settings remains the right course to set. But our approach to health and social care between now and 2030 cannot simply remain the same as we face increasing challenges and pressures and we must start discussing and planning for that now.
“Most importantly, I want to ensure that as far as possible the outcome of the national conversation is turned into a practical reality. This isn’t about producing just another vision – we want to take these views and put them into practice as quickly as we can.
“Today marks the beginning of this conversation and I’m pleased to be here in Dundee to listen to a wide range of stakeholders, professionals and patients of the NHS.”
Ian Welsh, Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) said: “The ALLIANCE welcomes the national conversation on the future of health and social care in Scotland. This provides us with an opportunity to engage with people across the country who use support and services in defining priorities for improving Scotland’s health and wellbeing. We look forward to working with our members to generate a substantial contribution to this process and support creative discussions about what keeps people well.”
The national debate will focus around three broad questions:
Find out more on the Creating Healthier Scotland website: http://healthier.scot/
Contribute to the debate via post and email, or by joining the discussion on the blog, Twitter, orFacebook page.
MenACWY programme gets underway in Scotland
The MenACWY vaccine is introduced for 14-18 year olds from today, and young people are being urged to make sure they’re protected.
Earlier this year it was announced that in response to a rise in the number of cases of meningitis W, and based on advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation, a MenACWY vaccine would be introduced to replace the MenC vaccine used in the adolescents and freshers vaccination programmes.
The vaccine will be offered to students under the age of 25 attending university for the first time this Autumn, along with a catch-up programme for all 14 to 18 year olds.
Those planning to go to university are urged to make an appointment at least two weeks before they go or, failing that, during Freshers’ week.
From this week, older teenagers will start receiving an invitation letter and information leaflet, asking those who have left school to get the vaccine at their GP practice as soon as possible.
Young people returning to school in August will receive their vaccine in school during the coming academic year.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The launch of the MenW vaccine prevention programme for teenagers is great news. This vaccine also protects against MenA, MenC and MenY, making sure young people are protected at such an important time in their academic lives.
“I would urge everyone who is eligible for the vaccine to make an appointment with their GP, or if they’re still at school to take up the offer of the catch-up programme there. They might be busy preparing to leave for university, working or enjoying their summer break, but a short appointment really could make an enormous difference to their future health.”
CEO at Meningitis Now, Sue Davie said: “As a charity dealing with the consequences of the disease on a daily basis I would plead directly to parents across Scotland to make sure that their children get the Men ACWY vaccination. We are particularly concerned with those going to university in the autumn as they are at a higher risk from what has been called ‘freshers’ flu’.
“It is critical that young people are not complacent about the disease and they take the necessary steps to protect themselves, stay vigilant and seek urgent medical help if they suspect it. This is a cruel disease, it does not discriminate and could significantly alter the future outlook for young people if they are not protected or meningitis aware”.
Meningitis Research Foundation Scotland Manager Mary Millar said: “Adolescents aged between 14 and 18 are more likely to carry meningococcal bacteria than any other age group and offering the ACWY vaccine to all of them should stop the bacteria from being passed on. This means that even unvaccinated people will be protected from catching the disease – an effect known as herd protection.
“Although we welcome the implementation of the ACWY vaccine amongst 14-18 year olds over the next couple of years, it will take time for herd protection to be established so babies (who are particularly vulnerable to developing disease) will remain unprotected. Fortunately, the MenB vaccine Bexsero, which will be routinely available for babies from September, also protects against this ST-11 MenW strain.”
21-year-old Sally Bound from Inverness contracted meningococcal meningitis while away from home at university. She said: “I was in my third of four years at uni and I was working late to meet a course deadline. I remember my housemate leaving for her boyfriend’s house at 8pm at which stage I started feeling really tired, achy and a bit nauseous – earlier in the week I had met a friend, who was recovering from flu for a drink so I was hoping I hadn’t caught his flu.
“I also wondered if it might be food poisoning but as I knew nothing about meningitis, other than seeing photos in doctor’s waiting rooms, it never crossed my mind it could be that – especially as I thought it was only young children who contracted meningitis.
“I went to bed about midnight feeling very sick and by 3am I was starting to get really worried that I was not very well, my arms and legs had gone very heavy and I felt as though I had a temperature. I rang my mum who was at home in Scotland, she suggested I called an ambulance but living on one of the most popular streets for students and having previously been called a bit of a drama queen I refused, too embarrassed I was causing a scene over the flu.
“Very quickly after that the sickness became worse and my head and neck began to ache. I contacted NHS direct and as instructed by them, I checked myself for a rash but didn’t find anything.
“However, I realised I needed to go to hospital and that being called a drama queen really was not that bad compared to how I was feeling.
“I have very little memory from there on but woke from a coma a day later so grateful to hear that I would be okay and discovering how lucky I had been as a couple of more hours without treatment could have made the outcome very different. After a few weeks I made a full recovery but I know that many university students have sadly not been so lucky.”
